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No instructions or guidance needed for me. Simply said I was part of the beta and wanted Whole Home DVR Services without DECA. I was placed on hold for about 5 minutes and he came back and said I was all set. About 30 seconds later I logged in to my account and it shows being enabled. Thanks Doug for making this thread with the heads up (and to everyone else that provided input)!

I have the Total Choice Plus with locals and HD Extra Pack programming, called in this moring, waited on hold for about 15 minutes, spoke with rep named Diane who had just taken care of another customer looking to add the service. She asked if I was in the beta, put me on hold for less than 5 minutes after which she asked me to confirm the service was enabled.

I had been logged into my account and the Whole-Home DVR Service option was greyed out with the call to activate button; I logged out and back in and the service now reads Currently Activated.

I'll confirm tonight, but I expect all to be well.

Let's go Blackhawks!

- cb

UPDATE: just 2 hours later I received a Programming & Service Update email; programming package is still the same.

Great! Just called. Got a very nice woman who had me walk her through the whole thing quickly then put me on hold. She verified she could do it the first time then hold again while she got it done. She made sure I knew that I would not get debugging support.

After I hung up, my Beta status disappeared from my DVRs.

Thanks to everyone!

(I'll probably get DECA installed later this year but just don't have the cash this month.)

Had no luck going the phone route. The reps kind of knew where to go (with my guidance thanks to Doug's instructions), but the unsupported option wasn't coming up for my account.

Tried 3 times because the first 2 transfers from CSR to supervisor dropped. The third one sent me to a Protection Plan CSR. She insisted I had to have DECA. I told her to hold off and I'd try again later in the week in case their systems got updated by then.

In the meantime, I have sent an e-mail using most of Robert's language. Wish me luck.

ok - 3rd attempt. Yesterday's supposedly activation didnt take so called back today. First CSR seemed to know what I was talking about but said tech support was needed. Tech support just couldnt get it activated so sent to "Internet support". They immediately seem to know what's going on but said I need to go DECA. explained Beta program and process from DBSTalk that would enable this. Was told "yes, I am familiar with DBSTalk and unfortunately there are many users and former employees there that just don't know what they are talking about".....wow!

So still on hold with internet support and supposedly he is still moving forward with process.....

Now on hold hearing Elvis sing Return to Sender - ironic

Oops - process completed but they say it just won't take. Flagged account and to call back in a couple of days if I dont see it activated. Nice!!!

Oops - process completed but they say it just won't take. Flagged account and to call back in a couple of days if I dont see it activated. Nice!!!

This sounds like you have the legacy package 'Choice Xtra plus HDDVR' package. You cannot activate whole home DVR service if you have this package. If you have this package, you will need to either call or go online and change your package to Choice Xtra and then add HD Service and DVR Service. The net cost per month will be $1 more if you do this. There currently is no way around that problem, but there may be a fix in the next few days. I simply have not heard back one way or the other.

If you make the change above, since the flag is already set for you, you should also be able to add whole home DVR service online once the package has been changed.

Anybody being told it's $99 for this upgrade? I'm waiting for a supervisor

The $99 is for getting an installer to come out and set up DECA networking for you. Enabling MRV to use your existing home network does not entail any additional cost which is generally the reason why folks want to go this route.

It took about 15 minutes, but I just got it added to mine. She must have been reading from DORRIS as I was telling her Doug's steps, because they pretty much matched up exactly.

The issue I ran into was the total choice + DVR + HD package. She was able to set the account attribute to u, but couldn't add the service until she changed my package. Once she changed my package, she was able to add the service.

Unfortunately it still depends on the CSR you get, I've talked to a couple that want to help but can't figure it out even with this and the script from Doug. Others just plain don't want to listen and it's DECA or go away... At this point I might even consider DECA at a reduced cost just to get MVR working once Thursday comes but I am not going to pay $150 for something that is nominally better than my network right now.

Unfortunately it still depends on the CSR you get, I've talked to a couple that want to help but can't figure it out even with this and the script from Doug. Others just plain don't want to listen and it's DECA or go away... At this point I might even consider DECA at a reduced cost just to get MVR working once Thursday comes but I am not going to pay $150 for something that is nominally better than my network right now.

I agree that the rollout is early and some CSRs are not up to speed - but after speaking with 6 different CSRs the past 3 days myself - for my location and two other folks requesting help - all 6 of those CSRs were fully versed on this and had no problem.

Unfortunately it still depends on the CSR you get, I've talked to a couple that want to help but can't figure it out even with this and the script from Doug. Others just plain don't want to listen and it's DECA or go away... At this point I might even consider DECA at a reduced cost just to get MVR working once Thursday comes but I am not going to pay $150 for something that is nominally better than my network right now.

You might want to read the response post above yours...post #167 to be exact. This one appears to be a repeat of your earlier post.

You might want to read the response post above yours...post #167 to be exact. This one appears to be a repeat of your earlier post.

Yeah that was work getting in the way of posting on the forum

Now for the good news at some point in the last 20 minutes DirecTV activated it sence the BETA flag is gone from my boxes. Though my web account says it is not, stills says call to activate, guess I will give it another day, on recent activity I see a charge and a reversal:

It took about 15 minutes, but I just got it added to mine. She must have been reading from DORRIS as I was telling her Doug's steps, because they pretty much matched up exactly.

The issue I ran into was the total choice + DVR + HD package. She was able to set the account attribute to u, but couldn't add the service until she changed my package. Once she changed my package, she was able to add the service.

I don't recall there being a bundled 'Total Choice w/ HDDVR' package .. Probably you had 'Choice Xtra w/ HDDVR' and that one has been problematic.

The easy way for you to check online is to look under services and check for 'HD Access'